Economic concerns and the desire for a sense of purpose and revenge are the major factors pushing young Syrians into the arms of jihadist groups, a study released on Wednesday found.
Two lawsuits filed in California on Monday claim that Muslim women were discriminated against in separate incidents because of their religion and for wearing the hijab.
Saudi Arabia has stripped its frequently criticised religious police of their powers to arrest, urging them to act "kindly and gently" in enforcing Islamic rules.
Pope Francis made a highly symbolic gesture by opening a "Holy Door" at Bangui Cathedral in the Central African Republic ahead of the start of a Catholic Jubilee Year.
Pope Francis hailed Africa as "a continent of hope" as he toured Uganda on the second leg of a landmark trip that has seen him railing against corruption and poverty.
France's leading Muslim body said it would create a permit to preach for imams in a bid to root out extremists, as well as a new religious body to fight back against jihadist propaganda.
Pope Francis offered a surprise public apology from the Catholic Church for a series of scandals which have shaken the city of Rome and the Vatican, from gay sex to drug use.
Pope Francis deplored the "escalation of violence affecting innocent civilians" in the Middle East, from Syria to Iraq, Jerusalem and the West Bank, and urged the international community to act.
Pope Francis celebrated a giant outdoor mass in Philadelphia, bringing to a close an electrifying US tour with an appeal for unity and family love, having met victims of church sex abuse.
Pope Francis says he has felt "used" by people claiming to be his friend since he became pontiff, in a radio interview touching on the personal side of his papacy.
Pope Francis thanked American nuns in a television special to be aired Friday, defusing tensions that arose after an investigation under the previous pontiff accused them of promoting "radical feminist themes"
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced criticism from ultra-Orthodox politicians for having eaten in a non-kosher restaurant serving rabbit, escargot and lobster.